Conversion itinerary during Lent

Fasting, prayer and almsgiving are the three pillars for preparing Holy Week, as Pope Francis stresses in his message for Lent 2019, published on Tuesday 26 February.

In his message, the Holy Father emphasizes that "the mystery of salvation, which already exists in us during the earthly life, is a dynamic process that also includes history and all creation".

From this point of view, he reflects on three points that accompany the conversion path of Lent.

The redemption of creation

Francis emphasizes that "the celebration of the paschal triduum of the pbadion, the death and the resurrection of Christ, the culmination of the liturgical year, calls us more and more to follow a route of preparation, aware that our conformity with the Christ is an inestimable gift of God's mercy "

"If man lives as a child of God, if he lives as a redeemed person, he lets himself be led by the Holy Spirit and knows how to recognize and apply the law of God, beginning with the one who is inscribed. in his heart and in his nature, also benefits creation, cooperating in his redemption ".

However, "in this world, the harmony generated by redemption is threatened, today and always, by the negative force of sin and death".

The destructive force of sin

Then, the Pope explains that "when we do not live as children of God, we often have destructive behavior toward our neighbor and other creatures, but also toward ourselves, more or less consciously considering that we can use them as we please. " .

"As we know," he continues, "the cause of all evil is the sin which, since its appearance among men, has interrupted communion with God, with others, and with creation, to which we are bound before all by our body ".

"It is the sin that drives man to consider himself the god of creation, to feel his absolute owner and not to use it for the purposes desired by the Creator, but for his own interest, to the detriment of creatures and others. "

The regenerating force of repentance and forgiveness

Finally, there is repentance and forgiveness. "The way of Easter calls us precisely to restore our face and our hearts as Christians, by repentance, conversion and forgiveness, in order to be able to live all the richness of the grace of the paschal mystery."

"Lent is a sacramental sign of this conversion, it is a call to Christians to embody more intensely and more concretely the paschal mystery in their personal, family and social life, including fasting, prayer and prayer. l & # 39; alms ".

Pope Francis concludes his Lenten message by calling for the abandonment of "selfishness, a fixed look on ourselves". "Let's go to the Pbadover of Jesus, let us be close to our brothers and sisters who are going through difficulties, sharing with them our spiritual and material goods, thus welcoming in the concrete life of our life the victory of Christ over sin and death, we will also bring its transformative force to creation. "